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Clinton cites defector for rights promotion, helping other defectors
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, March 10 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday cited a North Korean defector-turned-professor for her initiative to help other North Korean refugees and shed light to the human rights situation in the reclusive communist state.
Lee Ae-ran, professor of food nutrition and culinary arts at Kyungin Women's College in South Korea, was given the Award for International Women of Courage along with nine other recipients at a ceremony held at the State Department.
Lee, who defected from the North in 1997 and received a doctoral degree in South Korea in food nutrition last year, has raised funds for children of North Korean defectors in South Korea to help them study and organized a civic group for job training of women defectors.
Speaking in honor of Lee, Clinton said, "She is being honored for spearheading initiative to improve the lives and education of the North Korean refugee community in South Korea, elevating the empowerment of women, and raising awareness of the dire human rights situation in North Korea."
"She was a witness to tyranny at a very early age," Clinton said. "She defected to South Korea and transformed her life, where she has been a force for promoting human rights of the North Korean refugee community."
First lady Michelle Obama, also attending the ceremony, noted Lee's eight years of her in a North Korean prison camp as a child.
"And after a harrowing escape to South Korea, she became a tireless advocate for North Korean refugees and the first defector to run for Korea's national assembly," Obama said.
hdh@yna.co.kr
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